Articles by Bernard Kinane, MD, Khadijah Booth Watkins and Gene Beresin

June 3, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Sleep, featuring Bernard Kinane, MD – Shrinking It Down

It’s our last episode of the season, but never fear – we are signing off with tips to last you the summer long. Today’s episode is all about sleep! Listen wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Sleep is so important to our physical and mental health. On today’s episode, […]

June 2, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Q+A: What Can I Do to Help My Preschool Kid Learn Anger Management?

Question: My almost 4-year-old has been having a lot of angry tantrums lately, some that spiral out of control. What can I do to help them calm down?  It’s always good to start early in learning skills, and controlling anger and finding ways to channel it can begin in the preschool years. When it comes […]

May 19, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Q+A: How Can I Help My Child Control Thoughts That Fuel Anger?

We all have things that cause our anger to flare – waiting in long lines; feeling dismissed by a friend or family member; feeling that another person is treating us unfairly or not paying attention to what we are saying. And once we are angry, the thoughts that arise while in this state can cause […]

April 28, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Mental Health Challenges and Latinx Children & Teens, featuring Angel Caraballo, MD – Shrinking It Down

Over the past year, the Clay Center has worked to support even more young people by translating our free, online resources for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers. In this time, we’ve seen high readership on topics like emotionally supporting kids and teens during COVID-19, the importance of sleep for child mental health, and how to help young people manage anxiety and stress.  On […]

April 23, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

How To Talk With Kids About Gun Violence

Recent mass shootings that have made national news headlines are a frightening reminder to us all of this “new normal.” Beyond those that have made national headlines, there are many more incidence of gun violence – sometimes more than one a day – for which the trauma is felt only locally. Listen to Dr. Felopulos […]

April 16, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

10 Consejos de Cuidado Personal para Padres

Como padres, nuestro trabajo principal es cuidar de nuestros hijos, incluidos nuestros hijos adultos jóvenes. Es difícil pensar en algo más importante que el bienestar de nuestros hijos. Nos preocupamos por su éxito académico, vida social y logros recreativos. Nos preocupamos por su salud física, ajuste emocional y felicidad en general. Como adultos, además tenemos […]

April 14, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

A Closer Look at High-Functioning Autism, featuring Robyn Thom, MD – Shrinking It Down

Coming into April, Autism Awareness Month, we’ve noticed more families coming to our website with questions about high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some are seeking guidance on challenges families face, some are wanting to learn more about behaviors stereotypically associated with ASD, and others are wondering what happened to the Asperger’s diagnosis. On today’s episode of “Shrinking It […]

March 31, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Art of Civil Conversations: 9 Parent Strategies

Are you an educator? You may be interested in our Conflict Resolution Curriculum for students. Learn more here. “Are you out of your mind? You’re not old enough to go to a climate change demonstration. What do you even know about the climate? Besides, we’re in the middle a pandemic. Enough said!”  So says the […]

March 17, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Medicating with Meditation? The Power of Mind Body Medicine, featuring Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH – Shrinking It Down

On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Gene and Khadijah welcome special guest Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine of Massachusetts General Hospital, to talk about something we could all use more of: Meditation. This past year has brought on new stressors and anxieties for families, on top […]

March 10, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Positive Value of Conflict Resolution

Are you an educator? You may be interested in our Conflict Resolution Curriculum for students. Learn more here. Conflict is a natural part of our lives. We inevitably have disagreements with others from time to time in our values, beliefs, behavior, and much more. But recently, we’ve seen what feels like insurmountable conflict dividing our […]